Latching mechanism for doors for hopper type railway cars



June 9, 1953 2,641,198

LATCHING MECHANISM FOR DOORS FOR HOPPER TYPE RAILWAY CARS A. E. ZIMMERET AL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 24, 1949 June 9, 1953 A. E. ZIMMERETAL 2,641,198

LATCHING MECHANISM FOR DOORS FOR HOPPER TYPE RAILWAY CARS Filed Aug. 24,1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INYENTORS. 6216621125." 247727726 7 BY George 5.Foray,

June 9, 1953 A. E. ZIMMER VETAL 2,641,198

LATCHING MECHANISM FOR DOORS FOR HOPPER TYPE RAILWAY CARS Filed Aug. 24,1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 BY 6607:96 5. DO/YiZ/y,

Jun 9, 1953 A. E. ZIMMER ETAL LATCHING MECHANISM FOR DOORS FOR HOPPERTYPE RAILWAY CARS Filed Aug. 24, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORSdbriiZa/nmeij Mgefi 270/2 9 June 9, 1953 A. E. ZIMMER ETAL 2,641,198

LATCHING MECHANISM FOR DOORS FOR HOPPER TYPE RAILWAY CARS Filed Aug. 24,1949 ifj/a 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORQ. (ZZberZE Zmzfizef,

Patented June 9, 1953 LATCHING MECHANISM FOR DOORS FOR HOPPER TYPERAILWAY CARS Albert E. Zimmcr, Chicago, 111., and George B. Dorey,Wcstmount, Quebec, Canada, assignors to Enterprise Railwa EquipmentCompany, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application August 24,1949, Serial No. 112,034

3 Claims.

This invention relates, generally, to hopper type railway'cars, and ithas particular relation to mechanisms for latching closed the doorsthereof.

Among the objects of this invention are: To provide a smooth transitionof the latching bar of such a latch mechanism from one position toanother in engagement with a cooperating hook; to accomplish this binterconnecting the several contact surfaces of the hook along radiallines; to increase the area of engagement between the hook and thelatching bar in the fully latched position; to provide main andsecondary latching shoulders in parallel relation on the hook andinterconnect them with an inclined wedging surface joined along itsedges to the surfaces of these shoulders generally along the lines whichare angularly disposed with respect to each other and constituteprojections of radial lines emanating from a center adjacent the pivotaxis of the latching bar; and to construct the hook so that it can beused with latching bars pivoted on either side thereof.

other objects of this invention will, in part, be obvious and in partappear hereinafter.

This invention is disclosed in the embodiments thereof shown in theaccompanying drawings and it comprises the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of thisinvention, reference can be had to the following detailed description,taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section,taken along the line l-l of Figure 2 showing a latching mechanism forthe door of a hopper of a railway car constructed in accordance withthis invention;

Figure 2 is a view, in front elevation, of the door for the hopper shownin Figure 1, the door being shown in the open position Where it hangsdownwardly;

Figure 3 is a top plan view, at an enlarged scale, of the shoulderedlocking element which is illustrated as being mounted on the floor ofthe hopper in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view, in side elevation, of the looking element shown inFigure 3;

Figure 5 is a view in end elevation of the looking element shown inFigure 4;

Figure 6 is a view, taken generally along the line 6---6 of Figure 1,illustrating different positions of the latching bar with respect to thedifferent shoulders on the hook shaped portion of the locking element;

Figure '7 is a view, similar to Figure 6, but showing the lockingshoulders arranged so that the latching bar can he pivoted on eitherside without requiring the provision of a locking ele ment on the floorof the hopper of opposite hand;

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view, taken along the line 8-8 of Figure7, showing the outline of the latching bar;

Figure 9 is a view, similar to Figure 7, but showing the shoulders onthe locking element hounded by lines which define curvilinear surfaces;

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the hook shaped portion shown in Figure7;

Figure 11 is a view, in side elevation, of the hook shaped portion shownin Figure 10; and

Figure 12 is a View, in end elevation, of the hook shaped element shownin Figure 11.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings it will beobserved that the reference character It) designates a center sill of ahopper type car having a side frame I l spaced therefrom with a hopper,indicated generally at l2, located therehetween. The hopper i2 is formedby side walls l3 and M, a top wall I 5, and a floor it which slopesdownwardly to the hopper opening ll. surrounding the hopper opening I!and the walls and floor is a frame, indicated gen-- orally at 20, whichis formed of structural shape. It may be secured by rivets 2! to thehopper l2 as shown. The frame it includes an upper beam portion 22 fromwhich hinge butts 23 project and which carry hinge pintles is thatsupport hinge straps 25. The hinge straps 25 may be secured by rivets 26to a door, shown generally at 27, which may be pan shaped and have anoutflared peripheral flange 28.

Oh the upper surface of the floor is adjacent its lowermost edge, thereis mounted a shouldered locking element which is indicated, generally,at St. It has an integrally formed base portion 32 which may be securedby rivets 33 to the floor 16 as illustrated in Figure 1. The lockingelement 3! has a hook shaped outer portion, indicated generally at 34,which, when the door 2! is closed, projects through an opening 35therein and also through an opening 36 coextensive therewith in a beam31 which may be secured by rivets 33 along the lower edge of the door 27as shown more clearly in Figure 2.

The hook shaped portion 34 of the locking ele ment 3| is arranged tointerengage with a latching bar 4| which is pivoted by means of a rivet42 which extends through the beam 31 near its right hand end as viewedin Figure 2. Integrally formed with the latching bar 4| is a projection43 at the end opposite the pivot end and it is arranged to receive anoperating bar (not shown) one end of which is adapted to be positionedupon a fulcrum ledge 44 that is formed integrally with the beam 31. Itwill be understood that the purpose of this arrangement is to facilitatethe prying out of the latching bar 4| from the latched position withlading bearing against the inner side of the door 21.

With a view to locking the latching bar 4| in the fully closed position,a locking dog 45 is pivoted on a rivet 46 which extends through a pairof ears one of which is illustrated at 41. It will be understood thatthe ears 41 are cast integrally with the beam 31. A knob 48, formedintegrally with the locking dog 45, is provided to permit application ofthe operating bar there- 'against for moving the locking dog 45 to andfrom the locked position.

The present invention is directed particularly to the construction ofthe hook shaped portion 34 of the locking element 3| and the cooperatinglatching bar 4|. Their details of construction are illustrated moreclearly in Figures 3 through 6 of the drawings to which reference nowmay be had. It will be observed that the hook shaped portion 34 has aninclined surface at its outer end. The purpose of this is to fitunderneath the latching bar 4| when the door 21 is swung to the closedposition so as to automatically lift the latching bar 4| and move itupwardly where it will be in a position to be moved into a notch 52where it serves to hold the door 21 in the fully closed position.

The pivot point of the latching bar 4| is indicated at 53 in Figure 6.This coincides with the axis of the rivet 42 on which the latching bar4| is pivoted. It will be observed that the bottom surface 54 of thelatching bar 4| extends upwardly in Figure 6 toa point indicated at 55beyond which the bottom surface 55 is curved downwardly and outwardlybeyond the hook shaped portion 34. The upper surface 51 of the bottom ofthe notch 52 is correspondingly in- I the upper surface 51 of the bottomof the notch 52 extends along a radial line 58 which extends from thevicinity of a point 59 along a circle 60 whose center is the pivot point53 of the latching bar 4|. Now it will be observed that the radial line58 is coextensive with the bottom surface 54 of the latching bar 4| whenthe latter is in the position illustrated in Figure 6 where it holds thedoor 21 fully closed. In this position the outer surface of the latchingbar 4| bears against the surface of a main shoulder which is indicatedat 63. The upper edge of the surface of the main shoulder 63 isindicated at 64 which lies along a radial line 65, Figure 5, which alsois in the plane of the bottom surface 54 of the latching bar 4| when ithas been moved to the position shown by the broken lines in Figure 6.The line 55 is a radial line which extends from the vicinity of thepoint 59 as shown in Figure 5.

There is a secondary shoulder 66 at the upper end of the notch 52against which the latching bar Bl bears to hold the door 21 in thepartly closed position. This position of the latching bar 4| is shown inFigure 6 by the dot and dash lines. The lower edge of the surface of thesecondary shoulder 66 is indicated by the broken line 61 which is aprojection of a line 58 that corresponds to the position of the lowersurface 54 of the latching bar 4| when the latter is moved to theposition shown by the dot and dash lines. The line 68, as shown inFigure 5, is a radial line which extends from the vicinity of the point59.

With a view to providing a smooth transition for the latching bar 4| inits movement between the main shoulder 63 and the secondary shoulder 66,the surfaces thereof are interconnected by an inclined wedging surface1| the lower boundary edge of which is joined to the upper edge of thesurface of the main shoulder 63 along the line 64. Likewise the upperedge of the inclined wedging surface 1| is joined to the lower edge ofthe secondary shoulder 66 along the inclined line 61.

It will be observed that the hook shaped portion 34 has appreciablewidth to provide correzponding width principally for the main shoulderThe sidewise approach of the latching bar 4| to the main shoulder 63permits of the extension of this shoulder upwardly into the plane of thewedging surface 1| as indicated at 12 in Figure 6. This assuresappreciable area of contact between the latching bar 4| and the mainshoulder 53 and thus provides a stable support for the latching bar 4|in holding the door 21 in the fully closed position against the weightof the lading.

In a similar manner the secondary shoulder 66 extends into the plane ofthe wedging surface H to the extent indicated at 13 in Figure 6.

The positioning of the main shoulder 63 and the secondary shoulder 66 sothat their surfaces overlap with intervening wedging surface 1| providesexceptional latching security without incurring the necessity of ashouldered portion of extended length such as is required when thevarious stepped faces of the prior art constructions are arranged intandem instead of being obliquely disposed with respect to the latchingbar 4| in the position which it occupies in the fully latched position.

In Figure 7 of the drawings another embodiment of the latching mechanismis illustrated. Figures 10, l1 and 12 show additional views. A hookshaped portion 16 is there illustrated which can be employed in lieu ofthe hook shaped portion 34 described hereinbefore. It is arranged tocooperate with a latching bar 11 which is generally similar to thelatching bar 4| previously described. At the bottom of the notch inwhich the latching bar 11 interfits, upper surfaces 18 are providedwhich are arched upwardly to a peak at 19. Undersurfaces of the latchingbar 11 are similarlyinclined. This symmetrical arrangement permits theuse of a single hook shaped portion 16 for either right hand or lefthand pivoting of the latching bar 11. While different latch bars 11 arerequired for opposite hand mounting, the same hook shaped portion 16 canbe employed for either. It will be understood that the upper surface 18on either side lies along a radial projection I00, Figure 12,corresponding to the line 58 shown in Figure 5 and describedhereinbefore.

The main shoulder for engaging the latching bar 11 in the fully closedposition is indicated at 8| Its upper edge is defined by inclined lines82 which are radially disposed in the manner described as shown as IGI,Figure 12. A secondary shoulder 83 is provided at the upper end of thehook shaped portion 16 and it has inclined lower edges 84 which extendalong radial lines H32 as described. Inclined wedging surfaces 85interconnect the parallel surfaces of the main shoulder ill andsecondary shoulder 83. It will be understood that these wedging surfaces85 are bounded by the upper edges 82 of the surface of the main shoulder8i and the lower edges 84 of the secondary shoulder 83.

Preferably the latching bar T? is rounded along the forward corner asindicated at 86 in Figure 8 in order to insure that it will ridesmoothly over one or the other of the inclined wedging surfaces 85 inits movement between the secondary shoulder 83 and the main shoulder 3|.Inclined surfaces 87 guide the latching bar 11 upwardly as the door 2'!is swung closed until it passes the upper edge 88 of the secondaryshoulder 83, which extends along radial line H13, whereupon it dropsbehind the secondary shoulder 33.

It will be observed that the surfaces of the shoulders BI and 83 aregenerally of a herringbone relationship since they are characterized bysurfaces bounded by lines which are parallel and adjacent rows slope inreverse directions. The different positions of the latching bar H areillustrated by the broken lines and the dot and dash lines. The latchingbar ll is shown in engagement with the secondary shoulder 83 where itserves to hold the door 2'! in the partly closed position. Here thelatching bar H is shown by the dot and dash lines.

The latching bar "H is shown by broken lines in the position where itslower and forward edge 86 extends along the junction between one of theinclined wedging surfaces 85 and the upper inclined edge 82 of the mainshoulder 8i.

The latching mechanism illustrated in Figure 9 is generally similar tothat illustrated in Figgure '7 and described above. Instead of employingsurfaces for the main and secondary shoulders bounded by straight lines,these shoulders in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 9 are bounded bycurved lines. The modified hook shaped portion is indicated, generally,at 89 and a corresponding latching bar 90 is arranged to cooperatetherewith. The upper surface 9! of the bottom of the notch in which thelatching bar 90 interfits is curved and the undersurface 92 of thelatching bar 90 is correspondingly curved to snugly inter-fit with thesame. The latching bar 9! is arranged to bear against the surface of amain shoulder 93 which has a curved upper edge 94 instead of theinclined upper edges 82 shown in Figure 7. A secondary shoulder 95 isprovided parallel to the main shoulder 93 for engagement by the latchingbar 90 to hold the door 21 in the partly closed position. The surface ofthe secondary shoulder 95 is defined along its lower edge by a curvedline 96. Between the curved lower edge 96 of the secondary shoulder 95and the curved upper edge 94 of the main shoulder 93 are inclinedwedging surfaces 91 which correspond to the similar surfaces 85 inFigure 7. It will be understood that the curved edges 94 and 98 aregenerally tangent to the radial lines corresponding to the lines 65 and68 illustrated in Figure 5.

Since certain further changes can be made in the foregoing constructionsand different embodiments of the invention can be made without.departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that allmatter shown in the accompanying drawings and described hereinbeforeshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed as new:

1. In a railway car having a hopper with a discharge opening and a doorhinged along the upper side of said opening and swingable to an inclinedposition for closing the same, in combination, a shouldered elementcarried by said hopper having a hook-shaped portion extending generallyat right angles to the hinge axis of said door and opening upwardly, anda latching bar pivotally mounted on said door to swing substantiallyparallel thereto for engaging said hook-shaped portion to hold said doorclosed, said hook-shaped portion being of appreciable width and havingpairs of stepped shoulders parallel to said door with the upper andlower edges thereof defined by lines sloping in opposite directions fromthe central portion of said hookshaped portion whereby secondary andmain locking shoulders are provided for cooperating with said latchingbar to hold said door respectively in partly and fully closed position,the upper side of the bottom of said hook-shaped portion being archedupwardly and conforming to the lower edge of said main lockingshoulders, said latching bar having a surface parallel to the path ofits swinging movement for engaging said locking shoulders and itsunderside which is coextensive with said shouldered element archeddownwardly conformably to said upwardly arched side of said hook-shapedportion, said stepped shoulders being inter-connected by a wedgingsurface and symmetrically arranged so as to be engaged by said latchingbar when it is pivoted on either side of said hook-shaped portion.

2. The invention, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the lines definingthe upper and lower edges of the shoulders are straight linesintersecting at obtuse angles, and the upper side of the hook-shapedportion is formed by plane surfaces intersecting at an obtuse angle.

3. The invention, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the lines definingthe upper and lower edges of the shoulders are convexedly curveddownwardly, and the upper side of the hookshaped portion is a convexedlycurved surface.

ALBERT E. ZIMMER. GEORGE B. DOREY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

